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Enjoy this silky, lusciously chocolatey small batch chocolate mousse that is light and airy yet decadently rich. Crafted with the classic French technique and a subtle American twist, it’s a simple yet elegant dessert for one or two.
Featured Comment
“Just made it. This recipe is a keeper!”
– Ange
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfectly Portioned: Makes just enough for one or two servings.
- Easy to Make: Simple steps with common ingredients.
- Rich and Creamy: Smooth, airy texture with deep chocolate flavor.
- Special Yet Simple: Elegant enough to impress, easy enough for any day.
What I love most about this chocolate mousse is how it feels like a special treat just for you or to share with someone you love.
Each bite is light yet rich, with a silky smoothness that feels truly special. This recipe uses a French-inspired method with an egg and includes cream for an airy, velvety texture you just can’t match any other way.
If you’re looking for a simple way to treat yourself, this chocolate mousse is it. It feels elegant and comforting, a sweet reminder that you deserve something delicious.
If you’re looking for a quick chocolate mousse made without an egg, try our single serving two-ingredient chocolate mousse. You can also explore more small batch desserts like our mini Boston cream pie, chocolate lava cake for one, small pavlova, and single serving bananas foster.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch chocolate mousse recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Chocolate: Use semi-sweet chocolate, like Ghirardelli, Lindt, or Baker’s. For a richer flavor, dark chocolate works well. Leftover chocolate can be used in a mini french silk pie and in our single serving chocolate pudding recipe.
- Butter: Salted butter is best for this recipe.
- Egg: One large egg creates a light, fluffy, rich texture. Use pasteurized eggs for safety, especially if serving to pregnant women or young children.
- Cream of Tartar: Helps stabilize and thicken the mousse.
- Sugar: Adjust to taste if you prefer less sweetness.
- Heavy cream: Adds richness. Use leftovers in a mini German chocolate cake, single serving lemon posset, or single serving panna cotta.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the flavor of the mousse.
How To Make Chocolate Mousse
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Melt the Chocolate: In a double boiler over simmering water, melt 3 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate with the butter. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Whisk in the egg yolk.
- Beat the Egg White: In a separate bowl, beat the egg white. Add cream of tartar and sugar, then continue beating until stiff peaks form.
- Whip the Cream: In another bowl, whip the heavy cream with sugar and vanilla extract.
- Combine: Gently fold the melted chocolate, beaten egg white, and whipped cream together until smooth.
- Chill: Spoon into a dessert dish and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Serve with homemade whipped cream if you like.
Expert Tips
- Separate Carefully: Use clean, dry bowls to separate the egg white. Even a small bit of yolk can keep the egg white from whipping properly.
- Melt Slowly: Melt chocolate in a double boiler or microwave on low power, stirring often to avoid burning.
- Fold Gently: Use a spatula to fold in the chocolate and whipped cream. Overmixing can deflate the mousse.
- Chill Well: Let the mousse set in the fridge for the best flavor and texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the mousse needs to chill for at least 3 hours and can be made a day in advance.
Store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this individual chocolate mousse recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
RELATED: 15 Easy Dessert Recipes For One
If you’ve tried this classic chocolate mousse recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
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Small Batch Chocolate Mousse
Equipment
- Medium-sized saucepan
Ingredients
- 3 ounces semi sweet chocolate -chopped
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 large egg -separated
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3 tablespoons sugar -divided
- ¼ cup cold heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan with 1 inch of simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until smooth and melted.
- Remove from heat and let cool. Whisk in the egg yolk until fully combined. Set aside.
- In another bowl, beat the egg white until foamy. Add cream of tartar and beat to soft peaks. Slowly add 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
- In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream until it thickens. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and vanilla, then beat to soft peaks.
- Gently fold the beaten egg white into the chocolate mixture. Then gently fold in the whipped cream until combined.
- Spoon the mousse into a dessert dish, cover, and refrigerate for several hours.
- Top with extra whipped cream, if you'd like.
Notes
- Separate Carefully: Use clean, dry bowls to separate the egg white. Even a small bit of yolk can keep the egg white from whipping properly.
- Melt Slowly: Melt chocolate in a double boiler or microwave on low power, stirring often to avoid burning.
- Fold Gently: Use a spatula to fold in the chocolate and whipped cream. Overmixing can deflate the mousse.
- Chill Well: Let the mousse set in the fridge for the best flavor and texture.
When you lift the beaters, the whipped mixture forms peaks that gently fold over on themselves instead of standing straight up. The tips will be soft and curl down. What Are Stiff Peaks?
When you lift the beaters, the whipped mixture holds its shape firmly with straight, upright peaks that do not droop or collapse.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This was fantastic! Thank you for the recipe.
How can you make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water? Isn’t that impossible? I highly doubt the chocolate and butter wouldn’t melt if the bottom of the bowl would touch the water. Please make it make sense.
It might seem tricky at first, but it’s definitely possible. You’ll want to use a heatproof bowl that can rest on top of a small saucepan without sitting inside it. When you fill the pan with just a couple of inches of water, the bottom of the bowl should hover above the surface of the water—not touching it. This setup allows the steam from the simmering water to gently melt the chocolate and butter without direct heat, which helps prevent scorching or seizing. It’s a simple technique once you try it!
Is there anything else I can use in place of cream of tartar?
I haven’t tested this recipe with anything other than cream of tartar. It really is a necessary ingredient.